Hypnosis for Permanent Weight Loss

Ep 362 Perfectionism: Why Trying to Eat Perfectly Keeps You Stuck

The pursuit of perfection can make food and weight feel like a never-ending battle. In this episode of Hypnosis for Permanent Weight Loss, Leslie-Ann Thornton explores how perfectionism, black-and-white thinking, and strict dieting can create an exhausting cycle of control, guilt, shame, and overeating. She explains the difference between the conscious mind that makes plans and decisions and the unconscious mind, where many of our deeply rooted beliefs, emotions, and automatic behaviors are formed. Leslie dives into the "parts" of ourselves that can influence our relationship with food including the perfectionist, the indulger, and the victim and explains how these parts often developed with positive intentions to keep us safe. But when we begin believing that these parts are who we truly are, they can keep us trapped. Leslie shares her own experience with perfectionistic food rules and how the pressure to never make a mistake ultimately contributed to binge eating, showing why perfection is not a sustainable path to peace with food. The episode also explores the power of beliefs and fear-based thinking, and why behavioral flexibility can be more valuable than rigid perfectionism. Leslie discusses how we can evolve beyond old systems and beliefs, learn to tolerate imperfection, and create a healthier relationship with food, body, and weight. Most importantly, she reminds listeners that being human means making mistakes and that true freedom comes from learning how to respond without falling into guilt, shame, or an all-or-nothing mindset. Highlighted Quote "We are human beings and we are messy. We make mistakes a lot. We mess up. It's like part of being a human being." Key Topics & Timestamps 0:02–0:56 — Breaking the cycle of food and weight obsession 0:56–2:19 — Why perfectionism takes over our relationship with food 2:19–3:53 — How childhood experiences shape unconscious beliefs and behaviors 4:23–6:04 — Understanding the different "parts" of ourselves 6:04–8:31 — The positive intentions behind perfectionism and why it can become problematic 8:41–10:42 — How parents, dieting, and fear-based food beliefs can strengthen perfectionism 10:42–12:20 — Client stories: moving from food obsession and shame toward peace and freedom 12:53–14:49 — The power of beliefs and why the mind matters alongside science 14:49–16:52 — Why perfectionism creates pressure—and why being messy is part of being human 17:03–18:14 — The dopamine rush of being perfect and what happens when perfection inevitably breaks down 18:23–20:24 — High achievers, perfectionism, and the connection between food and success 20:24–21:48 — Integrity vs. perfectionism and the importance of behavioral flexibility 21:48–23:49 — Moving beyond black-and-white thinking and rigid diet mentality 23:49–25:12 — How perfectionism can lead to binge eating and an unhealthy cycle 25:12–26:58 — Recognizing when strict programs and perfectionism are no longer serving you 27:04–28:52 — The power of beliefs and how fear around food can amplify the problem 28:52–29:48 — The unconscious mind, emotions, and their impact on health outcomes Then hypnosis Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 361 Why You Don't Have to Quit Drinking to Stop Feeling Guilty Every Monday

Food and weight obsession can make Mondays feel overwhelming. After a weekend, vacation, holiday, or social event where you allowed yourself to enjoy food and life, the mental noise can quickly return, bringing guilt, anxiety, self-judgment, and the urge to "get back on track." In this episode, Leslie M. Thornton explores why this cycle happens and why restriction is not the solution. Leslie shares a deeply personal story from her childhood, remembering how she felt after Easter so consumed by thoughts about food, weight, and needing to "fix" things that she felt trapped inside herself. She explains how these patterns can continue into adulthood, affecting your energy, work, relationships, parenting, and ability to be fully present. The Monday scaries aren't necessarily about Monday itself; they can be a sign that there are underlying thoughts, emotions, and patterns that haven't been processed. Most importantly, Leslie explains that you don't need more rules, punishment, or another diet. Learning emotional mastery, understanding your subconscious patterns, and developing the right tools can help you stop living in black-and-white thinking and start experiencing life in full color. Whether it's enjoying a holiday without guilt, accepting natural weight fluctuations, or teaching your children healthier ways to process emotions, healing your relationship with food can transform far more than your eating habits it can change your entire life. Highlighted Quote "Your life is meant to be lived in full color, not black and white." Key Topics & Timestamps 0:00–3:22 — What It Really Means to Be a Healthy Human Being Leslie discusses why people aren't taught how to process emotions, thoughts, relationships, and life in a healthy way and introduces the tools that can help. 3:23–4:13 — Breaking Free From Food & Weight Obsession Why the endless cycle of dieting, overeating, guilt, and starting over can feel mentally exhausting and how to begin taking back control. 4:14–5:26 — Why Mondays Can Trigger Food Noise Leslie introduces the client experience that inspired this episode and explains why returning to normal life after a holiday or weekend can bring anxiety and food-related thoughts rushing back. 5:27–7:58 — From Enjoying the Weekend to the "Monday Scaries" How a fun weekend or vacation can suddenly turn into self-criticism, comparison, diet research, and the desire to regain control. 8:15–11:43 — Leslie's Childhood Experience With Food & Exercise Leslie recalls being 12 years old after Easter and feeling so overwhelmed by food-related thoughts that she felt she needed to run to escape them. 11:43–12:52 — Nobody Teaches Us How to Process Our Thoughts & Feelings Why emotional awareness and healthy ways of processing internal chatter should be fundamental life skills. 12:53–15:40 — Self-Blame, Shame & the Punishment Cycle How one weekend of overeating can lead to harsh self-judgment and renewed restriction and how that reinforces the belief that something is wrong with you. 15:40–17:08 — How Food Obsession Impacts Your Entire Life The hidden effects of food and weight struggles on work, parenting, relationships, energy, and your ability to be fully present. 17:09–18:57 — Real Client Stories: Finding Peace Around Food Clients share their experiences of reducing food noise, overcoming stress eating, building confidence, and finally feeling free around food. 19:08–20:18 — The Isolation of Living Inside Your Own Head Leslie reflects on a time when others noticed she was physically present but mentally stuck inside herself. 20:18–21:58 — Why the Scale Isn't the Enemy Weight naturally fluctuates, and Leslie explains why obsessively monitoring small changes can be a sign of hypervigilance and restriction. 22:07–23:54 — Learning to Enjoy Your Holiday AND Your Monday Moving beyond the idea that indulgence requires punishment and learning when to manage versus when to simply live. 23:54–25:47 — Stop Pushing the Beach Ball Underwater Leslie uses the beach-ball metaphor to explain what happens when you constantly suppress thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and desires in an attempt to stay in control. 25:55–26:26 — Living Life in Full Color Why black-and-white thinking keeps you stuck and how developing new skills can create more freedom and balance. 26:26–28:18 — Changing the Pattern for Yourself & Your Family How your relationship with emotions and self-judgment can influence your children and why modeling healthy emotional processing can create generational change. 28:26–30:22 — Getting Clarity & the HPWL Program Leslie explains the purpose of the complimentary call and how NLP, emotional mastery, hypnosis, and a structured five-step system can help you change your relationship with food. 30:26–31:25 — Free Masterclass: How to Stop the Food Noise Naturally Leslie explains why food noise isn't simply a discipline problem and introduces her free masterclass on using hypnosis to quiet the constant thoughts about food and weight. Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 360 Dolly Parton on Body Image: What 'I'm a Hog at Heart' Really Teaches Us About Weight Loss

What if the reason you keep struggling with food, weight, and consistency isn't because you lack discipline but because you're trying to live according to someone else's definition of what you should look like, eat, or care about? In this episode of Hypnosis for Permanent Weight Loss, Leslie M. Thornton explores powerful lessons from Dolly Parton's unapologetic approach to authenticity, body image, self-expression, and living life on your own terms. Through some of Dolly's most memorable quotes, Leslie challenges the idea that we have to look like a supermodel, hide the changes that come with aging, or follow society's expectations around beauty and weight. She encourages listeners to get honest about what they actually value rather than automatically adopting the beliefs and behaviors of parents, society, or the people around them. When your choices are aligned with your authentic self, food, movement, health, appearance, and lifestyle can become much easier to navigate. Leslie also shares her own journey of discovering that weight loss motivated by appearance wasn't actually connected to her deepest values. Instead, her real motivation came from wanting to feel energized, move her body, have adventures, and live her best life. The episode closes with Dolly's powerful message to get to living, giving, loving, and forgiving, reminding listeners that life is too precious to spend waiting for the perfect time or endlessly criticizing themselves. The goal isn't perfection—it's alignment, authenticity, and creating a life that genuinely feels like yours. Highlighted Quote "The reason that you're not successful is because you don't actually care about this vanity point. It doesn't matter to me. It doesn't hit my values." Key Topics & Timestamps 0:02–0:52 — Breaking Free From Food and Weight Obsession Why the endless cycle of dieting, overeating, guilt, missed workouts, and starting over can create mental exhaustion and how to begin taking back control. 0:52–2:17 — Dolly Parton and the Power of Being Yourself Exploring Dolly's legacy of unapologetically embracing who she is and using her example to inspire self-confidence and authenticity. 2:17–4:10 — Owning Your Relationship With Food Why honestly acknowledging your love of food, sweets, carbs, or treats can be more freeing than living with guilt, shame, and judgment. 4:10–5:27 — Accepting Your Body as It Changes Dolly's perspective on beauty, aging, and feeling comfortable in your own skin rather than trying to meet unrealistic standards. 5:27–7:22 — Is Weight Loss Really the Answer? Looking beyond the number on the scale and getting specific about what you actually want to change about your body. 7:23–9:25 — Discovering Your Authentic Self How societal expectations and judgments can pull you away from your truth and why lasting change has to be aligned with who you really are. 9:27–11:18 — Stop Waiting for the Perfect Time Why you don't have to wait for Monday, September, January, or a milestone birthday to finally put yourself first. 11:20–14:31 — Stop Trying to Be Someone Else Leslie shares her personal experience of realizing that following her mother's approach to food and body image wasn't necessarily right for her. 14:31–15:33 — Alignment Is the Goal, Not Perfection Why being aligned with yourself doesn't mean reaching a permanent state of perfection and how life transitions can naturally require you to reassess your values. 15:33–17:22 — Dress for Yourself and Do What Makes You Happy Dolly's philosophy of feeling good about yourself and how your authenticity can positively influence the people around you. 17:22–19:42 — Finding Your Deeper Motivation Leslie reflects on discovering that appearance wasn't her strongest motivation for weight loss and explains why energy, movement, adventure, and living fully mattered more to her. 19:42–22:53 — Becoming a Role Model for Your Children and Grandchildren How doing your own internal work can help break generational patterns around body image, food, weight, and self-worth. 22:53–24:02 — Giving Yourself Permission to Feel Better Exploring the importance of making choices that genuinely help you feel better about yourself without shame or judgment. 24:02–26:02 — Expressing Yourself Through Your Appearance Why the way you dress and present yourself can be an authentic expression of your internal experience and why your expression doesn't have to look like anyone else's. 26:02–27:00 — Journaling, Self-Reflection, and Taking Action A challenge to revisit the episode, write down what matters to you, discover your truth, and begin acting on it without guilt or questioning. 27:00–29:02 — "Better Get to Living" Using Dolly's song and its message about living, giving, loving, forgiving, and pursuing your dreams as a powerful reminder to stop waiting and start living. 29:02–30:56 — Stop the Negative Story You Tell Yourself How negative self-talk around your weight, body, and life circumstances can keep you stuck—and why healing begins with changing the story you tell yourself. 30:56–31:57 — Don't Waste Your Life A reminder that life is happening now. Instead of waiting for everything to be perfect, start caring, sharing, trying, smiling, and living. 31:57–33:20 — You Have to Take the Next Step Why inspiration and knowledge aren't enough on their own. If you feel called to make a change, you have to take action and seek the support you need. 33:20–34:20 — Free Masterclass: Stop the Food Noise Naturally Leslie explains that persistent food noise isn't simply a discipline problem and introduces her free masterclass on using hypnosis to create a more peaceful relationship with food. Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 359 $9 Million for Child Sex Trafficking: Inside Marici's Freedom Mission

What if the struggle you keep minimizing is actually preventing you from living the life you were meant to live? In this deeply personal episode of Hypnosis for Permanent Weight Loss, Leslie M. Thornton reflects on a powerful experience at a Tony Robbins event, where nearly $9.2 million was raised in just 30 minutes to help save 18,041 lives affected by sex trafficking. The experience reminded Leslie of the incredible impact that can happen when people come together and use their resources, skills, and privilege to serve something bigger than themselves. Leslie also explores her long-standing passion for ending sex trafficking and shares stories that brought the reality of this issue into sharper focus. She discusses how trauma can affect the nervous system and contribute to struggles with food, body image, and weight, while emphasizing the importance of bringing difficult issues into the light rather than avoiding them. The episode then turns inward, with Leslie challenging listeners to stop minimizing their own struggles with food, weight, anxiety, and constant "food noise." She explains that you don't have to compare your problems to someone else's suffering to justify getting help. When you address the issues that are consuming your mental and emotional bandwidth, you create more space to serve others, enjoy your life, and make the impact you were meant to make. Highlighted Quote "The only thing that's silly about your problem is that you're not taking action on it." Key Topics & Timestamps 0:02 – 0:52 — Breaking free from food and weight obsession and the mental madness surrounding dieting, overeating, and weight regain. 0:52 – 2:24 — Leslie reflects on witnessing nearly $9.2 million being raised in 30 minutes to help save thousands of lives affected by sex trafficking. 2:24 – 4:29 — Leslie shares her personal passion for ending sex trafficking and discusses how trauma can affect the nervous system and contribute to food, body, and weight struggles. 4:29 – 6:01 — Her history of donating to organizations fighting sex trafficking and her desire to make an even greater impact. 6:04 – 7:51 — Leslie recounts a powerful story from the Tony Robbins event about using technology, AI, and innovation to fight the global sex trafficking industry. 7:51 – 9:39 — Why you don't need to wait for September or a "perfect" time to prioritize yourself and get support with your food and weight struggles. 9:44 – 13:28 — The reality of sex trafficking, the importance of exposing darkness to the light, and the work being done to rescue and empower survivors. 13:28 – 15:17 — The power of community, collective action, and using your resources and privilege to create meaningful change. 15:17 – 16:32 — Why constant food, body, and weight thoughts can consume your mental bandwidth and make it difficult to focus on anything else. 16:32 – 18:24 — Stop minimizing your struggles as "first-world problems" and learn to take your own challenges seriously. 18:24 – 19:57 — Why getting support for your own struggles can create the mental and emotional space needed to fulfill your purpose and help others. 19:57 – 21:44 — Releasing anxiety, seeking the support you need, and using your life, skills, and privilege to become a blessing to others. 21:44 – 23:23 — Leslie's powerful invitation to stop waiting, take one action, and stop tolerating anxiety and constant food noise. 23:26 – 24:25 — Food noise isn't a discipline problem: Leslie explains the nervous-system and subconscious patterns behind it and shares her free hypnosis masterclass. Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

EP 358 Why Emotional Eating Happens During Major Life Changes

Uncertainty can make us feel like we need to regain control sometimes through food, dieting, tracking, or trying to "get back on track." In this episode of Hypnosis for Permanent Weight Loss, Leslie M. Thornton shares a vulnerable update about navigating a major season of uncertainty in her own life and what she is learning from being in the "in-between." Leslie explores how life transitions, relationship challenges, financial changes, career uncertainty, and other circumstances can affect our relationship with food and weight. Rather than treating overeating as the root problem, she encourages listeners to look beneath the eating behavior and identify what may actually be creating the emotional discomfort. She also discusses self-trust, surrendering the need to have all the answers, and allowing clarity to emerge instead of forcing decisions. Drawing from her own experience and the work she does with clients through hypnosis, NLP, and the HEAL method, Leslie explains why learning to sit with uncertainty can create greater happiness, freedom, inner peace, and a healthier relationship with food. Highlighted Quote "Eating is a false sense of control." Key Topics & Timestamps 0:02 – 0:52 — Breaking the cycle of food and weight obsession and learning to create freedom and inner peace. 0:55 – 2:53 — Leslie shares a vulnerable personal update and explains how uncertainty is showing up in her life. 2:53 – 3:31 — Why uncertain periods can lead to bingeing, inconsistency, weight gain, and frustration and why eating may only be a symptom of a deeper issue. 3:35 – 5:21 — Stop waiting for the "right time" to prioritize yourself and break free from the start-over-Monday cycle. 5:25 – 7:42 — Identifying uncertainty beneath food and weight struggles, including career, relationships, finances, and major life changes. 7:42 – 9:01 — Leslie reflects on being goal-oriented, her achiever personality, and being pushed to ask deeper questions about what she truly wants. 9:01 – 10:45 — Lessons from Zero Limits about reaching "zero," creating from inspiration rather than the past, and learning to live in the question. 10:45 – 11:55 — How healing her relationship with food has allowed Leslie to navigate uncertainty without using food as a coping mechanism. 11:55 – 12:42 — Why we try to control our eating when life feels out of control and how food can create only a temporary sense of control. 12:42 – 13:21 — The importance of seeking support during transitions instead of trying to navigate everything alone. 13:28 – 14:17 — Learning a new way of processing uncertainty, making decisions, and developing deeper self-trust. 14:17 – 15:09 — Embracing the "in-between" and allowing uncertainty to create deeper alignment with your authentic self. 15:09 – 16:03 — Why getting support can help you move through difficult seasons without relying on numbing behaviors or shame. 16:10 – 17:09 — Food noise isn't a discipline problem: Leslie explains the subconscious and nervous-system patterns behind it and introduces her free hypnosis masterclass. Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 357 Stop Waiting to Feel Ready: How to Build Confidence Through Action with Morgan Barkus

What if confidence isn't something you need to feel before you take action, but something you build by doing the thing you're afraid to do? In this episode of Hypnosis for Permanent Weight Loss, Leslie M. Thornton sits down with confidence coach Morgan Barkus to explore how body image, perfectionism, fear of judgment, and all-or-nothing thinking can keep women stuck in patterns that affect their food, body, relationships, and everyday lives. Morgan shares her personal journey from struggling with body dysmorphia and restrictive eating to discovering that confidence comes from how you see, trust, and carry yourself, not from a number on the scale or a clothing size. They discuss the power of challenging your fears, wearing what makes you feel good now, giving yourself grace, and replacing rigid rules with flexible, empowered choices. Morgan also explains how small actions, positive self-talk, coaching, and new experiences can help rewire the way you think about yourself. Together, Leslie and Morgan explore what becomes possible when women stop treating food and exercise as a pass-or-fail test. From allowing yourself to eat foods you enjoy without guilt to learning through mistakes and trusting your body's signals, the conversation offers a powerful reminder that freedom comes from self-trust, not more rules. If you've ever felt trapped by perfectionism, worried about what other people think, or believed you have to be "perfect" to make progress, this episode shows you how much more life can open up when you let go. Highlighted Quote "Confidence is just like, you've done it, you've failed, you've learned. Now you trust yourself." Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 – 02:18 – Introduction to the mental exhaustion of food and weight obsession, and meeting confidence coach Morgan Barkus. 02:18 – 05:59 – Morgan's early experiences with confidence, moving across the country, and learning from her parents to trust her intuition and use her voice. 05:59 – 09:21 – Building confidence through small actions, getting outside your comfort zone, and learning that taking risks isn't as scary as your mind makes it seem. 09:21 – 12:48 – Body insecurity, body dysmorphia, unrealistic beauty standards, and Morgan's transformative experience discovering that confidence isn't determined by body size. 12:48 – 15:05 – How new experiences, travel, and exposure to different people and cultures can challenge limiting beliefs and change the way we see ourselves. 15:06 – 16:54 – Leslie's invitation to stop waiting for the "right time" and get support for breaking free from the start-over-Monday cycle. 16:54 – 20:38 – Letting go of body shame, wearing clothes that fit and feel good now, and giving yourself grace as your body naturally changes. 20:38 – 23:28 – Clearing out "aspiration clothes," finding confidence through what you wear, and learning to do your best without demanding perfection. 23:28 – 26:29 – Moving from black-and-white thinking to empowered choices, focusing on what you can control today, and breaking free from rigid diet mentality. 26:29 – 29:17 – Why 10 minutes of movement is better than doing nothing, overcoming all-or-nothing exercise thinking, and understanding the difference between perfectionism and integrity. 29:17 – 32:15 – Rewriting negative self-talk, using affirmations and journaling, and learning that you get to decide what you say to yourself. 32:15 – 34:53 – The importance of hunger for transformation, accountability, coaching, and knowing when to ask for help instead of trying to do everything alone. 34:53 – 38:07 – Why successful people seek mentors and coaches, and how confidence can grow in different areas of life through support and continued learning. 38:07 – 42:11 – Taking action before you feel ready, using solution-focused thinking, and working backward from the worst-case scenario to overcome fear. 42:11 – 45:15 – Facing your fears instead of avoiding them, normalizing difficult experiences, and discovering what can be learned from even the worst-case scenarios. 45:15 – 48:13 – Building self-trust by allowing yourself to make mistakes, removing food rules, and learning what actually works for your body. 48:13 – 51:30 – Moving beyond "good" and "bad" foods, understanding the difference between "I can't" and "I don't want to," and developing freedom around food. 51:30 – 54:20 – Why every woman's body and needs are different, listening to your body's signals, and finding an approach that feels satisfying and sustainable. 54:20 – 57:05 – The freedom that comes from letting go of food rules, enjoying life without guilt, and being present for meaningful experiences. 57:05 – 58:35 – Morgan's final message on living in full color, where to find her, and Leslie's closing invitation to quiet food noise and create a more peaceful relationship with food. Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 356 Addicted to food - or control? With Wedding Proposal Planner Ash Fox

What happens when the pursuit of perfection becomes a way to escape pain? In this deeply personal conversation, marriage proposal planner and photographer Ash Fox shares her journey through anorexia, bulimia, body image struggles, and the emotional wounds that fueled them. She opens up about growing up in a family where dieting and body shame spanned generations, how the fashion industry reinforced unhealthy beliefs, and the courage it took to begin healing. Ash explains how recovery wasn't about finding another diet; it was about finding purpose, healthy relationships, and learning to release the need for control. Together, Leslie and Ash explore how boundaries, trauma, self-worth, and emotional regulation are often the hidden drivers behind food and weight struggles, and why lasting freedom comes from addressing the deeper emotional patterns rather than the symptoms. The episode also highlights the transformative power of self-love, meaningful work, meditation, and supportive relationships. Whether you're battling food obsession, healing from past experiences, or searching for a more peaceful relationship with yourself, this conversation offers hope that true healing is possible. Highlighted Quote "What we're really chasing isn't the weight loss it's the dopamine, the feeling of control. Real healing begins when we learn to feel our emotions instead of controlling them." Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 – 02:40 – Food addiction, the "high" of weight loss, and why control becomes addictive 02:40 – 05:19 – Introducing guest Ash Fox and her unique career as a marriage proposal planner 05:19 – 10:17 – How Ash accidentally pioneered the proposal planning industry and built a purpose-driven business 10:17 – 12:28 – Memorable proposal stories and why Ash believes in celebrating healthy love 12:28 – 18:36 – Ash's family history with eating disorders and how generational patterns shaped her relationship with food and body image 18:36 – 21:55 – Leslie's invitation to ask anything: healing food addiction, travel, relationships, career, and life transformation (Sponsor/Community Invitation) 21:55 – 24:29 – Modeling pressure, perfectionism, trauma, and the development of bulimia 24:29 – 28:18 – Therapy, supportive relationships, and the first steps toward recovery 28:18 – 31:43 – Triggers, GLP-1 medications, body image, and the healing power of loving relationships 31:43 – 34:01 – Generational trauma, maternal influence, and reframing perfectionism 34:01 – 37:14 – The "high" of restriction, dopamine, control, and understanding eating disorders beyond food 37:14 – 42:57 – Emotional mastery, boundaries, finding purpose, and how meaningful work supports healing 42:57 – 47:13 – COVID, meditation, spirituality, and discovering identity beyond achievement and appearance 47:13 – 50:06 – Self-love, healthy relationships, proposal planning, final reflections, and Leslie's free hypnosis masterclass invitation Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 355 Why Shame — Not Food — Is the Real Addiction: Dani Sumner on Sobriety, Emotional Eating, and Finding Purpose After Rock Bottom

What if the behaviors you're trying to change overeating, emotional eating, alcohol, or constant scrolling aren't the real problem, but symptoms of something much deeper? In this heartfelt conversation, Leslie welcomes recovery coach and entrepreneur Danny Sumner to explore how shame, trauma, and unresolved emotions fuel addictive behaviors, and why true healing begins with self-awareness rather than self-judgment. Danny shares her powerful journey from addiction and alcoholism to nearly 16 years of sobriety, revealing how recovery helped her rediscover herself and ultimately build a life centered around helping others. Together, Leslie and Danny discuss emotional healing, the importance of processing difficult feelings instead of numbing them, and why everyone's recovery journey looks different. Whether your struggle is with food, alcohol, or another coping mechanism, this episode offers hope that freedom is possible. The conversation also dives into finding purpose after pain, rewriting the stories we tell ourselves, and using our hardest experiences to create meaningful lives and careers. If you've ever felt trapped by shame or wondered whether your past could become your greatest gift, this episode will leave you feeling inspired, empowered, and ready to take the next step toward healing. "If it's a problem to you, it's a problem to you. Don't compare your addiction to anyone else's healing begins when you're honest with yourself." Key Topics & Timestamps 2:46 – Meet Danny Sumner and her mission to help others transform pain into purpose 4:15 – Danny shares her personal recovery journey and becoming nearly 16 years sober 6:24 – Leslie reflects on food addiction, sobriety, and discovering her authentic self 8:46 – Entrepreneurship, addiction, and finding fulfillment through serving others 12:25 – Why self-awareness is the foundation of lasting transformation 14:37 – Can painful experiences become our greatest gifts? 17:02 – Leslie's invitation to Ask Me Anything about healing, weight loss, and life transformation 18:18 – Danny explains gratitude, resilience, and finding purpose after trauma 22:04 – How personal loss inspired Danny's commitment to helping others live 23:40 – The connection between food struggles, shame, trauma, and suicidal thoughts 26:22 – Why shame is often the hidden root of addiction and emotional suffering 28:21 – The importance of community, vulnerability, and emotional processing 31:02 – Leslie explains the HEAL Method and emotional mastery 33:39 – Why comparing your addiction to others keeps you stuck 36:24 – Recovery, moderation, and honoring your unique healing journey 41:35 – Danny shares how she helps people turn their stories into service 45:17 – Danny's free workshop and final words of encouragement 46:55 – Leslie shares her free masterclass for overcoming food noise naturally Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 354 Crazy Awesome Hypnosis for Permanent Weight Loss Client Results!

Ep 353 Now That Medicare Covers Ozempic: Why GLP-1s Quiet the Food Noise But Can't Keep the Weight Off (And What Actually Does)

Millions of people are gaining access to GLP-1 medications, and while these drugs can dramatically reduce food noise, Leslie explains why quieting cravings isn't the same as healing the root cause. In this episode, she shares her own painful journey through extreme dieting, binge eating, and weight regain, offering a compassionate perspective for anyone considering or currently using GLP-1 medications. Leslie explores what happens beneath the surface when food is used to cope with stress, emotions, and unresolved beliefs. She explains why medications can create an opportunity for change, but lasting freedom comes from addressing the subconscious patterns driving overeating rather than simply silencing the symptoms. If you're looking for permanent weight loss instead of another temporary solution, this episode will help you understand how to use the "quiet" created by GLP-1 medications or any season of change to build a healthier relationship with food that lasts. "Quiet is not the same as healed." Timestamps 00:51 – Leslie's reaction to expanded GLP-1 medication coverage 02:09 – Her personal story of extreme dieting, weight regain, and binge eating 03:26 – How GLP-1 medications reduce food noise and why that's a gift 04:47 – What research shows about weight regain after stopping GLP-1s 08:42 – Why medications don't address the root cause of food cravings 09:32 – The deeper emotional reasons food noise exists 14:00 – Why subconscious beliefs drive eating behaviors 14:29 – The "beach ball" analogy for dieting, restriction, and GLP-1 medications 15:52 – Using the quiet created by GLP-1s to do the deeper healing work 17:06 – The HEAL Method: hypnosis, emotional mastery, and lasting self-care 18:51 – Can you heal your relationship with food while using GLP-1 medications? 20:22 – How to keep the weight off after coming off medication 22:24 – A client success story of lasting transformation beyond dieting 23:59 – Why permanent weight loss requires healing the root cause, not just managing symptoms Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 352 Why You're Still Eating at Night (It's Not What You Think)

Food noise isn't a lack of discipline; it's a signal from your nervous system. In this episode, Leslie explains why constant thoughts about food, nighttime eating, and emotional overeating aren't problems of willpower, but subconscious survival patterns. She shares why diets, restriction, and even medications may quiet the noise temporarily without addressing what's creating it. You'll learn how the unconscious mind responds to emotional pain, why your brain isn't broken, and how rewiring subconscious patterns can create lasting freedom around food. Through real client stories, Leslie reveals how changing the "radio station" behind food noise not just turning down the volume can transform your relationship with eating. If you've been stuck in the cycle of overeating, guilt, and starting over, this episode offers a new perspective on healing the root cause instead of managing symptoms. "The food noise doesn't go away until you change what is generating it." Timestamps 00:00 – Why food noise is created by the nervous system, not a lack of discipline 02:02 – A client's nighttime eating cycle and why self-judgment makes it worse 03:19 – Your nervous system is doing exactly what it was designed to do 05:58 – Why nighttime eating isn't a willpower problem 08:56 – How the unconscious mind responds to emotional pain 13:15 – Why food becomes the brain's fastest form of emotional relief 16:26 – Your unconscious mind is trying to protect you, not sabotage you 18:41 – What GLP-1 medications can and can't change about food noise 21:37 – How hypnosis helps rewire subconscious eating patterns 24:35 – A client's experience of eliminating food noise in the first week 25:37 – Why diets are like holding a beach ball underwater 26:57 – You're not out of control; you're triggered 29:34 – Changing the subconscious "radio station" instead of managing the noise 31:27 – Free hypnosis training and next steps to begin healing Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 351 Why Health Coaches Can't Help You Lose Weight Permanently (And What Actually Works) | Seamus Sullivan

In this episode of the Hypnosis for Permanent Weight Loss Podcast, Leslie sits down with performance health specialist Seamus Sullivan to explore the deeper connection between identity, body image, and lasting health. Seamus shares his personal journey from competitive wrestling and body image struggles to becoming a longevity specialist helping people optimize their health through science-backed coaching. Together, they discuss how perfectionism, comparison, and shame can keep people stuck, while self-awareness and authenticity create lasting transformation. The conversation dives into the emotional side of weight loss, including the impact of childhood experiences, sports culture, and body dysmorphia. Seamus explains why sustainable health isn't about eliminating foods or following the perfect plan it's about building practical skills, creating supportive habits, and making small adjustments that fit your real life. Leslie and Seamus also discuss how changing your identity often leads to lasting behavioral change. Whether you're struggling with emotional eating, perfectionism, or simply trying to build healthier habits that last, this episode offers practical wisdom and encouragement. You'll walk away with a fresh perspective on health, confidence, and why taking imperfect action today is far more powerful than waiting for the perfect moment. Quote: "No one's going to come save you... but no one's going to stop you either." – Seamus Sullivan Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Seamus Sullivan 01:40 – Why lifelong learning matters in health and wellness 03:39 – Seamus' journey from the Philippines to competitive wrestling 07:08 – Body image struggles and body dysmorphic tendencies 10:48 – Changing perspective through gratitude and resilience 11:31 – Wrestling, food guilt, and healing after sports 15:33 – Childhood experiences, validation, and identity 20:13 – Rewriting your personal story 23:31 – Discovering authenticity and building confidence 26:07 – Why coaching is about small sustainable changes 28:18 – A coaching story that changed Seamus' perspective forever 34:00 – Weight loss, identity, and building lasting habits 36:06 – Becoming the future version of yourself 39:08 – "No one's going to come save you... but no one's going to stop you either." 40:34 – Why imperfect action beats the perfect plan 41:48 – Taking small steps even when life feels overwhelming 44:04 – Final thoughts and where to connect with Seamus Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, Would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 350 Why You're Still Obsessing Over Food — And What It's Really About With Nicole Cramer

In this inspiring episode, Leslie welcomes Nicole Cramer, a former high school math teacher who transformed her life by stepping outside her comfort zone and following unexpected opportunities. Nicole shares how feeling stuck, unhappy, and disconnected from her purpose led her to question the path she was on and open herself to new possibilities. Nicole recounts her remarkable journey from teaching math for 15 years to becoming the #1 nationally ranked salesperson in the country twice. Through a series of seemingly coincidental events, intuitive "breadcrumbs," and bold decisions, she discovered the power of changing the stories we tell ourselves. She explains how alignment, intention, and human connection played a far greater role in her success than experience or credentials. The conversation explores manifestation, personal growth, overcoming fear, and embracing life's challenges as opportunities for transformation. Nicole and Leslie discuss how discomfort often serves as a signal for change, why sharing our stories can inspire others, and how shifting our mindset can unlock possibilities we never thought were available to us. "You either have the life you want, or you have the list of reasons why not." Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and introduction to Nicole Cramer 02:25 Why personal growth is an ongoing journey 05:00 The power of sharing your story 07:30 Leaving a 15-year teaching career behind 10:23 Discovering sales through unexpected opportunities 14:13 "I've been selling math to teenagers for 15 years" 19:45 Setting the goal to become #1 in sales 22:18 Mistakes, synchronicities, and manifestation 26:25 The reality behind taking big risks 29:03 Finding meaning in life's challenges 31:05 How discomfort creates transformation 33:04 Nicole's TEDx experience and future goals 35:33 Where to find Nicole online and closing thoughts Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 349 Why the Weight Wouldn't Budge: One Woman's Journey Through Perimenopause, Food Noise, and Finding Peace Without GLP-1s

After 16 years of teaching internationally and raising a family abroad, Mary McCallion found herself burned out, overwhelmed, and increasingly disconnected from her body. What began as concerns about weight gain and health symptoms eventually led her to discover that the real struggle wasn't food it was years of unresolved grief, stress, fear, and self-doubt. In this powerful conversation, Mary shares how taking a sabbatical from teaching created the space for deeper emotional healing. Through hypnosis, NLP, timeline therapy, and emotional mastery tools, she learned to quiet food noise, rebuild trust with her body, and release the belief that something was "wrong" with her that needed fixing. Mary's story is a reminder that lasting transformation doesn't come from another diet, supplement, or quick fix. It comes from addressing the emotional roots beneath the surface and learning how to approach yourself with compassion instead of fear. "The extra weight was the entry point to uncovering something much deeper." — Mary McCallion In this episode: 02:18 – Mary explains why she decided to take a sabbatical after years of international teaching and burnout 08:20 – The unexpected moment she discovered the podcast and immediately felt understood 13:32 – How unresolved grief from losing her father was impacting her relationship with food and her body 15:51 – Why weight struggles are often just the tip of the iceberg 21:24 – Understanding food noise and learning to trust herself around food again 23:23 – Letting go of guilt around leftovers and emotional eating habits 26:37 – How hypnosis helped rewire years of negative self-talk and fear-based thinking 32:48 – Mary's experience considering GLP-1 medications and what made her pause 36:29 – The health anxiety spiral that led her to fear serious illness 39:34 – Why this healing work became the missing piece in her life transition 42:51 – Mary's advice for anyone feeling called to take the first step toward food freedom 45:00 – Meeting the universe halfway and trusting the next step in your healing journey Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 348 Hormones, Weight Gain & Chronic Symptoms: How Food Healed What Doctors Dismissed with Dana Dinnawi

In this episode, Leslie sits down with hormone health coach Dana Dinnawi to discuss the powerful connection between food, hormones, inflammation, and overall well-being. Dana shares her personal journey from years of unexplained symptoms, including weight gain, cystic acne, frozen shoulder, exhaustion, and severe ovulation pain, to discovering how food and lifestyle changes transformed her health. Dana explains how conventional approaches often focus on managing symptoms rather than addressing root causes. She describes how a simple nutrition-based intervention helped her recognize that many chronic health issues were messages from her body signaling deeper imbalances. That experience eventually inspired her to become a health coach and spend the last 13 years helping women reverse hormonal and inflammatory conditions naturally. Leslie and Dana explore the emotional side of health transformation, discussing the challenges of perfectionism, diet culture, guilt, and shame. They explain why true healing requires more than simply changing what you eat; it also involves understanding emotional needs, stress patterns, self-sabotage, and the deeper reasons behind food choices. The conversation also highlights the importance of developing a healthy relationship with food rather than chasing perfection. Dana shares how she learned to balance enjoying life's special moments while still supporting her health goals, and why becoming the "CEO of your own health" is a journey that unfolds over time through self-awareness, experimentation, and compassion. Standout Quote "Your body is always communicating with you. Symptoms aren't random; they're messages showing you that something needs attention." Timestamp Highlights 00:00 – Dana shares her personal health struggles and the symptoms that led her to seek answers. 02:34 – Leslie welcomes hormone health coach Dana Dinnawi to the podcast. 05:27 – Dana explains how years of dieting and unexplained symptoms led her to explore natural healing. 08:30 – Discovering health coaching and learning about inflammation as a root cause. 10:24 – A two-week nutrition reset produces unexpected improvements beyond weight loss. 11:03 – Understanding symptoms as messages from the body rather than isolated problems. 12:13 – Dana's life-changing realization that inspired her to become a health coach. 13:21 – Leslie shares her own experiences using food to improve health and reduce inflammation. 15:31 – Moving beyond weight loss and embracing a broader definition of health. 16:39 – The moment Dana realized her energy and vitality had returned. 19:04 – Leslie discusses orthorexia and the challenge of becoming overly focused on healthy eating. 20:14 – Primary food vs. secondary food: addressing emotional needs alongside nutrition. 22:11 – Why healing requires flexibility instead of perfection. 24:00 – Mid-episode invitation to schedule a free consultation with Leslie. 26:35 – How emotional needs often drive food choices and self-sabotaging behaviors. 29:00 – The role of community, support, and accountability in long-term change. 31:03 – Leslie discusses how personal growth often reveals deeper layers of healing. 34:15 – Dana shares her journey through perfectionism and restrictive dieting mindsets. 36:12 – Learning from setbacks and recognizing the body's responses to food choices. 39:00 – Finding balance between health goals and enjoying life's special occasions. 41:58 – Why becoming the CEO of your own health requires experimentation and self-trust. 43:56 – Dana shares her coaching programs and ways listeners can work with her. 45:00 – Final reflections on food freedom, health, and sustainable transformation. 46:11 – Closing remarks and information about Leslie's free Food Noise masterclass. Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 347 Why Your Weight Keeps Coming Back When You're Stressed with Raquel Furman

In this episode, Leslie sits down with brand coach, creative director, and podcast host Raquel Furman to explore the connection between authenticity, alignment, personal storytelling, and lasting transformation. Raquel shares her 20-year journey from photography and creative work to helping entrepreneurs uncover the deeper meaning behind their brands. Together, they discuss how authenticity has become a buzzword and why true alignment comes from understanding your own experiences rather than looking outside yourself for answers. The conversation dives into the power of personal stories and how our life experiences become our credibility. Raquel explains how the most effective marketing isn't about polished messaging or perfect branding it's about clearly communicating the truth of who you are and why you do what you do. Leslie relates this to her work helping clients heal food and weight struggles, emphasizing how alignment with your authentic self often creates positive changes in health, relationships, and business. Leslie and Raquel also discuss human design, energy management, and recognizing when you're operating out of alignment. They explore common patterns such as abandoning healthy routines during stressful periods, overworking to solve emotional discomfort, and using food or productivity as coping mechanisms. The key, they explain, is developing awareness without judgment and becoming curious about what your behaviors are trying to communicate. The episode concludes with an empowering discussion about perfectionism, flexibility, and leadership. Both women share how releasing the need to be perfect allowed them to grow successful businesses and help more people. They encourage listeners to embrace imperfection, trust their experiences, and remember that meaningful transformation often comes from showing up authentically rather than waiting until everything feels ready. Standout Quote "Your experience is your credibility. That story that you have is all the proof that's needed. You're like, 'I know because I walked it.'" Timestamp Highlights 00:00 – Authenticity, purpose, and alignment: separating buzzwords from genuine self-discovery. 02:36 – Leslie introduces brand coach and creative director Raquel Furman. 05:28 – Raquel's journey from photography and creative work to brand strategy and coaching. 07:33 – Why authentic branding begins with uncovering deeper meaning and purpose. 11:03 – Personal storytelling as the foundation of credibility and connection. 13:32 – Client example: connecting neuroscience, creativity, and entrepreneurship. 15:22 – Leslie shares her personal tipping point involving food struggles and relationship healing. 17:05 – Branding versus marketing: meaning first, promotion second. 19:17 – Overcoming visibility fears and finding confidence in your voice. 22:26 – Why clear communication beats clever marketing language. 24:02 – The power of simple, direct messaging. 25:20 – Leslie's invitation to book a discovery call. 27:31 – Human Design, energy management, and understanding your natural work style. 31:42 – Recognizing misalignment and how resistance creates suffering. 35:34 – Awareness without judgment and developing curiosity about behavioral patterns. 37:02 – Why stress causes people to abandon supportive habits. 39:06 – Scarcity thinking, burnout, and learning when to step away. 40:46 – A real-life example of asking for flexibility instead of forcing productivity. 42:46 – Perfectionism, dieting, and behavioral flexibility. 44:21 – NLP principle: "The person with the most flexibility controls the system." 48:18 – Giving yourself and others more grace. 50:40 – Leadership lessons on flexibility versus micromanagement. 53:00 – How perfectionism delays progress and growth. 55:09 – Building a business before everything feels ready or perfect. 57:08 – Raquel shares where listeners can connect with her and learn more. 58:13 – Episode conclusion and resources for Leslie's free Food Noise masterclass. Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 346 His wife died last year...

In this deeply emotional and inspiring conversation, Leslie sits down with entrepreneur and coach Xander Fryar to explore how pain, purpose, faith, and emotional healing can completely transform a person's life. Xander shares the devastating experience of losing his best friend, AJ, to suicide and how that moment forced him to confront mortality, question society's definition of success, and ultimately leave his six-figure engineering career at Cisco to pursue a more heart-led mission. Together, Leslie and Xander discuss how so many people stay trapped in logic, overthinking, and emotional suppression while desperately searching for fulfillment through external success. The conversation dives deeply into meditation, subconscious healing, and why emotional processing is essential for both personal growth and physical health. Xander explains how meditation helped him stop operating from fear and instead take courageous action aligned with his intuition and heart. Leslie and Xander also unpack the connection between emotional avoidance and behaviors like overeating, emotional eating, addiction, and burnout. They discuss the importance of fully feeling difficult emotions instead of trying to "positive think" them away, and how emotional release creates space for clarity, peace, and authentic healing. Xander also opens up about one of the most traumatic experiences of his life — when his wife Maddie nearly died from internal bleeding after a miscarriage complication in Costa Rica. In a raw and vulnerable moment, he shares how he believed he was losing the love of his life, the profound spiritual experience he had while waiting outside the operating room, and how the experience deepened his understanding of faith, service, and the fragility of life. The story becomes a powerful reminder that pain and suffering can often reconnect us to what matters most. Throughout the episode, Leslie and Xander emphasize that true success requires stepping beyond social conditioning, embracing discomfort, and believing in something greater than yourself. Whether listeners are struggling with emotional eating, fear, shame, lack of purpose, or simply feeling disconnected from themselves, this episode offers a powerful perspective on healing, conscious living, and finding fulfillment through purpose, connection, and courageous action. Standout Quote: "Success by definition is illogical. If you want more love, more impact, more freedom, and more fulfillment than average, you can't live by average logic." — Xander Fryar Timestamp Highlights: 0:01 – Introduction to Xander Fryar and his mission-driven work 1:29 – Losing his best friend AJ to suicide changed everything 4:46 – Why Xander quit his six-figure Cisco engineering career 5:54 – "Everybody knows they're going to die, but nobody accepts it" 6:38 – Leslie shares her own experience with grief and awakening 9:40 – Xander's meditation practice and how it transformed his life 11:21 – Why people chase tangible success instead of emotional fulfillment 12:22 – The law of attraction vs. courageous action 13:48 – How meditation creates clearer, more aligned decisions 16:59 – Xander shares the terrifying story of his wife nearly dying 21:18 – A spiritual moment in the hospital parking lot changed him forever 23:36 – Why pain gave him deeper clarity around purpose and service 24:11 – Leslie and Xander discuss emotional suppression and overeating 27:05 – "The only way through an emotion is through an emotion" 29:35 – How suppressed emotions stay trapped in the subconscious mind 31:04 – Xander's "emotional dump" practice for emotional healing 33:24 – Why fully feeling pain creates freedom and wisdom 36:00 – Emotional eating, crying, and authentic self-soothing 38:49 – Shame, fear of judgment, and fear of being seen failing 41:08 – Why success requires faith in something bigger than yourself 43:07 – Self-preservation vs. self-realization 44:30 – How purpose and connection impact emotional health and fulfillment 47:10 – Final advice: take scary action and trust the process Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 345 what's really eating you?

In this deeply personal solo episode, Leslie opens up about one of the hardest seasons she's experienced in years. Over the last 60 days, she found herself struggling with anxiety, seasonal depression, emotional overwhelm, business stress, and feeling disconnected from joy, her body, and her relationship with God. Instead of hiding it, she shares the experience honestly to show listeners how emotional pain and unprocessed stress directly impact our relationship with food, weight, and health. Leslie explains how even after years of healing and freedom from food addiction, she could still feel the pull toward comfort eating, numbing, and wanting to escape her body during difficult times. She reflects on cravings for dairy and comfort foods, not from a place of shame, but from a deeper awareness that her body was signaling a need for safety, nurturing, and emotional support. Rather than panicking about the scale, she recognized that the real issue wasn't food. It was the emotional and subconscious pain underneath the surface. This episode is a powerful reminder that weight struggles are rarely about willpower, discipline, or finding the perfect diet plan. Leslie explores how unresolved grief, relationship pain, stress, fear, trauma, and emotional disconnection can quietly manifest through the body. She also shares stories from clients who experienced breakthroughs in their relationships and emotional lives, only to see their bodies naturally begin to change as a result. If you've been feeling exhausted, disconnected, emotionally overwhelmed, or stuck in cycles with food and body image, this episode offers compassion, honesty, and a reminder that healing begins when we stop trying to "fix" ourselves and start listening to what's actually hurting underneath the surface. "The weight is never just about the weight." Episode Highlights 0:02 – Leslie opens up about the hardest 60 days she's had in years 1:20 – Why emotional struggles often show up through the body and weight gain 2:18 – Feeling disconnected from joy, purpose, and everyday happiness 3:14 – Cravings for dairy and comfort foods during emotional distress 3:54 – Responding to weight gain without panic or self-hatred 4:30 – Feeling disoriented, overwhelmed, and emotionally exhausted 5:01 – The website glitch that impacted Leslie's business for two months 5:45 – The desire to numb, disconnect, and escape the body during stress 6:37 – Why weight loss struggles are not about discipline or willpower 7:18 – The deeper emotional causes underneath food and weight issues 8:28 – How unprocessed emotions stay stored in the body 9:22 – What happens when women ignore their emotional pain for too long 10:04 – Stories of illness, life changes, and finally listening to the body 11:07 – A client breakthrough: healing relationship struggles and body changes 11:36 – "The weight is never just about the weight." 12:14 – Feeling the emotional heaviness finally begin to lift 12:48 – The connection between mother wounds and not investing in yourself 13:11 – Leslie shares what she truly wants for women beyond weight loss 13:41 – Why healing and support should not be done alone 14:03 – Leslie invites listeners to explore "what's actually eating you" 14:33 – Using hypnosis and deep inner work to heal the root cause of emotional eating Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 344 The Meditation That Ended My Nursing Career with Cytel Schultz

In this episode, Leslie sits down with Cytel Schultz for a deep conversation about authenticity, intuition, astrology, business alignment, and the connection between body, purpose, and success. Together, they explore how understanding yourself more deeply can transform not only your business and relationships but also your relationship with food, body image, and emotional well-being. Cytel shares her unexpected journey into astrology and entrepreneurship, explaining how learning to trust her intuition and spiritual guidance completely changed the direction of her life and business. Leslie and Cytel discuss the power of honoring your authentic communication style, why some people thrive through speaking while others thrive through writing, and how self-awareness creates confidence, alignment, and healthier relationships. The conversation also dives into emotional eating, body trust, spirituality, AI, feminine energy in business, and how caring for your body can dramatically expand your capacity for creativity and impact. Leslie reflects on how healing the deeper emotional patterns underneath food and weight struggles allows women to finally create lives that feel meaningful, aligned, and fulfilling. Whether you're struggling with perfectionism, trying to find your purpose, or looking for a more aligned way to grow your business and life, this episode is a reminder that true transformation begins with understanding yourself. "The more you know yourself, the better everything goes." Episode Highlights 0:01 – Introduction to Cytel Schultz and her work combining astrology and marketing 1:24 – Leslie shares why purpose matters more than obsessing over weight 3:12 – Using astrology as a tool for emotional awareness and healing 4:50 – Cytel's journey from skepticism about astrology to fully embracing it 6:55 – Why Cytel never originally planned to become an entrepreneur 8:13 – Cytel explains how she experiences intuitive "downloads." 9:42 – Leslie shares how intuition transformed her coaching approach 11:47 – Meditation, trance states, and receiving guidance 13:37 – Faith, spirituality, and respecting different beliefs 18:46 – Marketing as authentic communication and connection 20:39 – Why some people are naturally better at speaking vs. writing 24:43 – Following your own communication style instead of trends 26:04 – Leslie shares the spiritual moment that led her to leave nursing 28:24 – Cytel explains Leslie's astrology chart and spiritual business alignment 30:24 – The connection between body health and business growth 31:50 – Leslie discusses choosing purpose over perfectionism with food 33:34 – Why eating more actually helped both women feel healthier 34:44 – Learning to trust your body instead of fighting it 36:18 – AI, alignment, and creating a life by design 38:58 – How Cytel uses AI alongside astrology and intuition 41:18 – Creating personalized routines based on astrology 43:33 – Why AI should support human wisdom, not replace it 46:00 – The importance of human connection, intuition, and heart-led work 47:11 – Where listeners can connect with Cytel Schultz Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!

Ep 343 For those who desire more intimacy…

In this episode, Leslie shares a deeper look into her private coaching experience and why some transformations go far beyond food and weight loss. She opens up about her personal journey, how her work has evolved, and why many clients discover that the real breakthroughs come from healing relationships, emotions, and patterns beneath the surface. If you've done "everything right" but still feel stuck, this episode shows why a more personalized, deeper approach might be what's missing. "When you work on what's underneath the surface, everything else starts to shift, including your relationship with food." Key Takeaways Weight loss struggles are often rooted in deeper emotional and relationship patterns Private coaching allows for deeper, personalized transformation beyond group work Many clients uncover hidden challenges like codependency, people-pleasing, and relationship stress Working on what's underneath the surface naturally reduces emotional eating True change comes from shifting identity, behaviors, and inner patterns—not dieting Consistent coaching + customized tools (like hypnosis) create faster breakthroughs Personal growth in one area (relationships, confidence) often impacts weight and health Timestamps 0:01 – Introduction to private coaching 1:15 – Leslie's personal journey with food and healing 3:20 – Why this work goes beyond weight loss 5:00 – Who private coaching is for 6:30 – Client story: relationship breakthroughs + weight loss 8:15 – Common theme: marriage and emotional patterns 9:50 – "Untangling" deeper life patterns explained 11:30 – Confidence, people-pleasing, and personal growth 13:30 – How to apply for private coaching Connect With Leslie Thornton: Book A Clarity Call Website Facebook LinkedIn Email: Leslie@hpwl.co If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a quick review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes in under 60 seconds? It brightens our day and helps us bring you incredible guests for top-notch content. Plus, I cherish reading every review! Click here to make a difference!